Proverbs Chapter 20

Proverbs 20:7
"The just man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him."

In airports around the country there are teams of people whose sole job is to check the integrity of aircraft. They have machines that "see" past the surface of the airplane to check the seams and joints under the surface. This is a good thing. Without these inspections the companies who own the aircraft would not know when to ground a plane for repairs or when a plane needs to be completely retired from service. No one would willingly fly on a plane knowing that the structural integrity of the plane was in question. Integrity is very important in airplanes. And it is very important in how we live our lives.

Proverbs 20:7 says that a just or righteous man walks in integrity. It is his way of life. The word integrity means whole or complete. A man whose life is characterized by integrity is one whose motives are honest and his character is upright. I think if this one quality characterized the majority of businessmen in our country then we wouldn’t have the financial problems we are having. That’s not to say there aren’t honest business owners. There are honest business people in every locality in our great country and we are thankful for them. We feel safe doing business with them. We know we will get a good product or service and that they will stand behind it. When we find a truly honest businessman we go back to them over and over again. Another idea behind this word, integrity, is a person who is transparent and free of duplicity. In other words he is the same on the inside that he is on the outside. He looks like a Christian, acts like a Christian and if you could look inside you would see the same Christian. This man is secure in who he is. He is at peace with himself. He is real. He is at peace because he is not trying to live a double-life.

The man who walks in integrity, is honest in his dealings, is at peace with himself and doesn’t try to be one thing on the outside and another on the inside, is a man who inspires those who come after him. In particular, his children are blessed. They are happy. Just like we feel safe doing business with a man of integrity so children feel safe following a man of integrity. Our children need someone like this to follow. In a world where greed seems to rule the day and deception is as much a part of life as eating, children need a Godly example. They need to feel safe, happy and blessed. They need to see that a life with Christ, lived in integrity is possible and not only possible but profitable and worthwhile. They need to see you be that man or that woman who walks in integrity.